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Platts Energy Week Interview with Chairman Doc Hastings

Posted by
Neal Kirby
on
January 24, 2011

Chairman Doc Hastings sat down with Platts Energy Week to discuss Wednesday’s oversight hearing with the President’s National Oil Spill Commission Co-Chairs William Reilly and Bob Graham. The hearing is expected to focus on the Commission’s findings into the causes of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the on-going federal response and recommendations to keep America’s offshore energy production the safest in the world.

Chairman Hastings told Platts, “This has been a long, anticipated report. I mean, obviously the American public remembers the spill and the consequences. A lot of work has gone into it. I just want to hear firsthand from them what their suggestions are. What they feel happened and what their remedies are. I think having some interaction, rather than reading reports, is probably a better way to really find out what went on.”

During the interview, Hastings also discussed several of the recommendations in the Commission’s Final Report including separating the agency formerly known as Minerals and Management Services, raising the $75 million liability cap, imposing new fees on American energy production and creating an industry-run safety institute.